London & Johannesburg Recap
As you saw on social media, I was in London and Johannesburg last week. It was such an amazing time!
First off, if you guys do not already know I'm a London fanatic, like seriously, I'm obsessed! I could easily say it's one of my favorite cities in the world, along with Paris and New York. My family and I set off for our vacation by flying British Airways from San Diego to London Heathrow. It's always such a relaxed and enjoyable flight. We were staying at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane which is one of my favorite hotels in the world. The staff are always welcoming, friendly, and hospitable.
The minute we got to the hotel we ordered the most delicious finger sandwiches on the planet. I started with two on my plate...two turned into three...and three turned into sixish...lets just say I ate like an absolute pig, but why not I mean I was on vacation and isn't vacation an exception. LOL maybe not! 😂 After stuffing my face it was time to head off to London Fashion Week. I had the pleasure of seeing Red by Valentino, Alice Temperley, Alexander McQueen, Versus Versace, etc. It was a lovely experience, and let me tell you something the whole experience was sooooooo different to New York Fashion Week. LFW just has a certain finesse, the people dress differently than they do at NYFW and the Brits just know how to entertain. What I loved about LFW was that they had the collections available there to buy just after you saw them on the runway which is unique to anywhere else in the world. Also, the Brits provided some champs for those of age (HAHA NOT ME). 😜
On the Sunday, my fam and I went to brunch at Amaranto at the Four Seasons which always has the best breakfasts. FYI: their mango creme parfaits are superb! After brunch, we hit the shops...Harrods, Zara, Topshop...to name a few. Oh and of course we had to stop at my Mecca...Ladurée. It is like heaven of earth for me, I get a thrill just by walking into their shop and seeing the pretty little pastel colored macarons and delightful decor. When we were all shopped out we went to see this new show called "Wonder.land" which is a modern day spin of "Alice in Wonderland". Can I just say the show was absolutely the worst show ever and I love theater and am a huge fan, but this show was boring and inappropriate for children! We were so unimpressed we left at intermission. LOL! The theater was located on the Thames, so we strolled along the river and explored the farmers markets and watched street performers. Once our feet were worn out, we went to The Ritz for tea. I indulged in some more yummy finger sandwiches and rose flavored tea. For dinner that night we went to Frescobaldi which is an upscale Italian restaurant and wine bar. I had the most delectable Italian truffle pasta, it was literally the best pasta I have ever had and that is not and exaggeration!
On the Monday, we shopped and browsed around on Carnaby Street, Oxford Street, Regent Street, Bond Street, and King's Road. Then, sadly we had to depart in the evening for South Africa but the good news was that Johannesburg was going to be a blast because we were attending my cousin's wedding!
Shortly after we landed, my family and I hit the ground running in Johannesburg. First, we greeted our family at my Siti's (grandma in Lebanese) house and we indulged in some brunch. Then, we were off to dress fittings for the wedding. The rest of the week was filled with catching up with family and friends, sightseeing, and shopping. The whole week was so exciting and as we all anticipated the wedding day. Finally, it was Saturday morning and we were all so excited to get ready for the big day. All of the bridesmaids had strict orders to be at the hotel, Le Chatelat promptly so the glam squad could do our hair and makeup. It was a photo-filled and glam-filled morning. Then, we all piled into a convoy of white Mercedes and drove to the gorgeous Lebanese church. The car ride over there was quite frightening as I saw my life flash before my eyes as the chauffeur was honking loudly and drifting and swerving into the other lanes jokingly. We were all waiting in a single-filed line to enter the church in a graceful manner, LOL thank goodness I did not fall as I walked down the isle because that would be SO horribly embarrassing if I did. After all of us proceeded into the church it was time for the bride to make her way down the isle. Everyone's jaws dropped as Bianca, the bride, who was the most stunning bride ever, drifted angelically into the church. When the ceremony was complete, we all piled back into the cars and headed to the reception. The venue was called "Summer Place" and it was absolutely stunning! Everything looked like it came out of a fairytale, including the gorgeous bride and groom ( my cousin Dan).The evening started with some canapés, lebanese food, Italian food, sushi & sashimi, and cocktails, and then we made our grand entrance into the ballroom where the retinue/bridal party danced the Dabke which is a circle type dance which is traditionally danced at Lebanese weddings. After our little dance, it was time to sit down and listen to four hilarious speeches written by some of the groomsmen. After the dinner was over, we all gathered outside for a firework display which was so cool and the desserts that were served were extraordinary. After gorging on desserts it was time to get funky on the dance floor. We literally danced the night away and were dancing until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning. The next day was exhausting to say the least, but we all pulled through like champs and gathered at my aunt's house for lunch and for a Lebanese tradition where the couple stick dough on the door of the house until they return from honeymoon. The meaning and reason for doing so is that it's meant to make the couple fertile. It was such a relaxing afternoon and super fun to hang out with my family one last time before we left to come back home. That night we flew back to London and spent the next day in London shopping and relaxing before we embarked on the final leg of our trip to return home to good old California.
XOXO
LOVE,
PASCALE 💋 Instagram: @poshtalkpascale